She reminded me of Sophia Loren.  Pauline was a mom to me in so many ways, at a precarious time in my life, when I needed a mentor.  I never met anyone like this gregarious beauty.  I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.  I had fallen in love with her son Andy, and Cecilia, Tina & Priscilla were my dearest friends and sisters.   The whole family became my family, and that helped me grow up.  She was that mom on the block, that all the kids could go to and talk, when their parents wanted nothing to do with them.  She always took in strays(children)  I always admired Pauline as she was so many things.  She had a wicked sense of humor, always laughing and giggling. I remember when Cecilia and I got arrested for walking down the street at 3 or 4 AM.  We had just gotten thru babysitting and we were being mischevious.  She came down to the pollice dept. and told them to throw away the key.  I was scared, but not Cecilia, she knew her mom was just messing with us!  She was a great mom, who loved all of her children so much, she would sacrifice anything for any one of them.  She was fearless.  She just kept putting one foot in front of the other, no matter what obstacles life placed in her path, and there were many.  She raised all 10 of her children most of their lives on her own. Pauline taught me how to roast chili's, make tortilla's, and create an amazing meal, with little money, but a whole lotta love!  That's all I cooked for years!  Ha, this Italian girl, trying to be Mexican/Spanish.   She worked several jobs to make ends meet, and didn't complain about her situation.  I admired how she took care of her self, and still cared very much about the way she looked.  I thought that was so amazing.  She was fluent in English and Spanish and spoke both, sometimes simultaniously, especially when she was pissed off!  What a character.  My world is a better place because of the time I got to spend with this wonderful, irreplaceable woman. Written By: Desa